One to One Education

Back in the mid-1990s, everyone was talking about one-to-one marketing. Companies wanted to go beyond recognizing their best customers and utilize technology to build an experience tailored to the individual. Back then, I was asked to design a solution for a group of restaurants that would keep track of customers preferences, food choices, wine selections, and visits. The system allowed staff members at any location to recognize the customer and tailor the experience of the guest based on data collected over time.

A guest experience would be something like this: Welcome back Mr. Johnson, I see you enjoyed our chocolate soufflé on your last visit. Unfortunately, it is no longer on the menu, however, I can have our pastry chef start one for you if you like.

One to one marketing has become the norm for organizations looking to build loyalty with consumers by going beyond delivering a product and crafting an experience. Hotels now setup rooms in advance to individual preferences, credit cards allow holders to customize features and airlines accommodate seating preferences.

How would it be if we should tailor a child’s experience to her specific learning style? What would that look like? What impact would it have on the classroom environment? What kind of assessment would be needed to determine the specific needs of an individual student? How could a teacher address the specific needs of 25 or 30 students at once?

There seem to many barriers to be able to provide this kind of individual experience to each and every child. But the thing is, models exist for this type of educational experience. Special classes of students already are accommodated to provide the best learning environment. Academic Improvement Plans or AIP are already being used to assure students are getting proper accommodations in existing schools and classrooms. And there even schools that have extended this type of thinking to all students.

The New York City Department of Education is conducting a pilot called the School of One that provides “students with personalized, effective, and dynamic classroom instruction so that teachers have more time to focus on the quality of their instruction.” The school changes the traditional model of “one teacher and 25-30 students in a classroom, each student participates in multiple instructional modalities, including a combination of teacher-led instruction, one-on-one tutoring, independent learning, and work with virtual tutors.”

This blended approach to education sounds a little like what many Montessori proponents have been advocating for years. Can we leverage technology to provide a new kind of classroom that provides differing environments for each type of learning style? Ultimately will the classroom look less like a lecture environment where all students are expected to move at the same pace, to an environment where self-motivated students can learn on their own, while students who need more personal attention can get more individual instruction?

I believe that in a world that has innovated the way we access entertainment, provides personal experiences based on individual preferences and a new connected work anywhere workforce; educators need to consider that it is time to start working on a new education paradigm. The rate of change in the world is accelerating and we need to decide if we are going to lag behind, simply keep up or lead the way. 

Get Ready for the Next Tech Breakthrough

I continue to believe that the future of hand-held computing and to a lesser extent personal computing, in general, will be defined by tablet computing. This revolution started by eReaders and transformed by the Apple iPad will continue to gain ground on traditional PC Based computing. Think about all of the things you hate about computers: lack of portability, complex systems, software installation, operating software maintenance, slow startup times, data synchronization, high energy use, low battery life, and high cost. Tablet computing holds the promise of a manageable, easy to use, less complex and portable solution.

By harnessing the power of powerful servers and the internet, tablets will revolutionize computing for many people. Yes, complex functions like media production, software development, research, and finance will still require powerful systems. However, students, home users, and even offices can migrate to these new devices. In 1993 Scott McNealy of Sun Microsystems was preaching that the network was the computer and put forth the idea that simpler devices would be used by individuals to access powerful information stored on the network. One of his early projects was headed by Eric Schmidt who later went on to head Google.

Think about the typical organization that maintains thousands of computers. These computers require a huge amount of IT resources to install and maintain. The actual cost of maintaining a desktop computer can easily exceed $5,000 per year. This cost goes way beyond the initial purchase cost and replacement every three years. There are software licensing fees, repairs, infrastructure, data loss, data recovery, software upgrades, operating system upgrades, imaging, and even disposal fees.

Tablets can reduce the complexity and expense in virtually every area. 2011 will be the year of the tables, lets quickly look at what is coming this year. New Introductions seem to fall into two camps, consumer solutions from Apple, Samsung and Motorola; and enterprise solutions from Cisco. 

Apple has taken a clear lead in innovation by producing the first successful device to deliver the promise of tablet computing. By extending the existing iPhone technology to a new device, Apple correctly chooses to use a small operating platform rather than try and make the complex OS/X or Windows simple to use. In February of March or 2011, Apple will release at least two new iPads, both with cameras, USB connectors, better screens, and one smaller screen size.

Samsung has jumped the gun and released what many believe to be the next thing in personal Tablet computing. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is an Android 2.2 based solution that comes in lighter than the iPad, features front and back cameras. The smaller 7" screen size allows the unit to be held with one hand. It also features cell phone functions so you can make and receive calls with a wired or Bluetooth headset. Available through Verizon, U.S. Cellular, Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T. With prices starting at $399 with a new contract, this device can be purchased now.

Motorola is also expected to enter the tablet market in 2011. Motorola was early to offer phones using Google's Android operating system and is expected to leverage it's expertise in manufacturing handheld devices to develop and deliver tablet solutions for individuals in 2011. Initial reports look like this will be a Verizon device called Stingray with a 10" screen and Android 3.0 operating system. This may be the first Android 3.0 tablet available.

Google has been working very hard on two fronts to come out with a new Tablet software. Some believe that a new Android operating system specifically designed for the tablet will be the answer. Android cell phones have become very popular and some vendors have extended the software to work on tablets. One advantage would be the ability for Android-based tablets to access a large number of applications that can run on this popular platform. This new Android 3.0 version is expected to support tablet computing with no extensions. The thing is Google, is not putting all of its eggs in one basket. They are also working on Chromium OS that some believe will eventually be the killer tablet or laptop OS. Most of the buzz seems to agree that HTC, makers of the Droid, iPaq and Verizon partner, are working hard with Google to release a tablet. One rumor anticipated a November 26 announcement by Google, HTC and Verizon, but that date is not been pushed back to March 2010.

Cisco has announced a tablet called the Cius based on Android. The device is expected to be a front end to their successful VOIP communications solutions with a docking station that looks a lot like a desk phone.  Cisco has announced this device will deliver full 720p HD Video conferencing over existing IP networks. Of all the devices, this is the only one reported to have a user replaceable battery. The Cius features centralized management of all devices using the device and user access policies by the IT department using existing Cisco tools.  The Cius device is expected to be released in early 2011.

If you don't have an iPad, consider waiting until mid-2011 and select the device that is best for your needs. Organizations should be preparing for the new world of tablet computing by enhancing secure wireless networks and shifting focus to centralized network delivered solutions. Schools should be looking forward to delivering customized classroom content via tablets. A few years from now, reference manuals and textbooks may join the ranks of other "vintage" technology like wired phones, records, and CDs.

Park City School District, The Best in Utah, BUT...

We have a lot of great restaurants in Park City. When we first moved here, I decided to try one out and asked the server “what is the best thing on your menu?” She quickly answered, “The crab cakes, they are the best in Utah.” I had the laugh because I had just had what most consider to be the best crab cakes in Maryland. The thing is these Utah crab cakes cost $60 and the ones in Maryland were only about $16.

We may have the best School District best in Utah, but when making comparisons with school districts on a national basis how do we compare? My comparison looked nationally for districts that are similar (+/- 20%) to PCSD in 4 critical areas.

·         Per Pupil Expenditure

·         Student Poverty Rate

·         Student Enrollment

·         % Minority Students

I found 10 schools matched my criteria in the US. Now everyone uses different tests so it can be difficult to make valid comparisons. My favorite benchmark would be SAT scores, but that only measures the success of college-bound students. My next favorite is NCLB proficiency.  How did we rank out of the 10 districts I found?

I was pleased to learn that in high school reading we did well coming in 4^th place out of 10. The highest score went to Nordonia Hills City School District in OH taking top honors.

In math, we did not do quite as well coming 9^th out of 10. That is correct; we came in next to last in my sample. Once again Nordonia Hills City School District took the top spot in math. Checking the numbers, it appears we lose ground someplace between the elementary school years and the high school.

I’m prepared to let Maryland keep the title of the best crab cakes. After all, they have something we simply don't have here in Utah -- local fresh crab. But I’m thinking the students in Ohio are no smarter than the ones here in Park City. From my perspective, there is no excuse for us not to be #1 in student achievement.

District	State	4th Grade Math	4th Grade Reading	8th Grade Reading	8th Grade Reading	HS Math	HS Reading
Lockport Township HSD	IL	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	65%	67%
Auburn Washburn	KS	97%	98%	90%	93%	87%	91%
Braintree	MA	53%	66%	66%	88%	87%	88%
Zeeland Public Schools	MI	97%	91%	78%	84%	68%	66%
Nordonia Hills City School District	OH	83%	88%	78%	83%	96%	98%
Cornwall-Lebanon School District	PA	86%	81%	79%	87%	67%	74%
Dripping Springs ISD	TX	92%	93%	96%	100%	84%	97%
Park City School District	UT	85%	88%	86%	94%	56%	94%
Fluvanna County Public Schools	VA	88%	88%	90%	91%	93%	96%
Arlington	DC	56%	82%	51%	79%	32%	77%

The chart above is based on the 2008-2009 school year and are from the Federal Education Budget Project.

A Student's Story

One of the main reasons we moved to Park City was the promise of an excellent education for our children. Our experiences in the district were not in sync with that promise. 

Our daughter was diagnosed with mild dyslexia and her previous school had in place a series of accommodations to help her mainstream. So when we moved to Park City in June of 2006 we started reaching out to the school. We were surprised the teachers or administrators were unwilling to make any accommodations. We did not give up and kept asking but were not able to speak with the principal until halfway through into the school year. Even then, the school level administration was still not willing or able to make any accommodations. We found it a challenge to open the lines of communications with anybody. What a contrast from our previous school that actually helped us discover and overcome our child's dyslexia. At every level, we were pushed back. Eight months of work and nothing to show for our efforts.

Even then, our daughter remained at EHIMS and her first year in the blue group was a good one, but her second year we felt she was increasingly unchallenged. I had high hopes for Treasure when she entered, but it just got worse. She continued to get good grades, but she was increasingly bored and unchallenged at school. Several of her gifted friends left the district for more challenging environments and increasingly it became apparent to me that our daughter was not in an environment that was challenging enough. Then toward the end of her 8th-grade year, I attended the parent-teacher conferences and three of her teachers commented to us, that they were simply not able to challenge her. Three separate teachers, in three separate conversations. When we pushed for solutions, we were told that once she entered 10th grade the AP program would provide her an excellent environment, but with the existing structure, there was really nothing they could do. They were very good teachers, but I got the feeling that they did not have the resources or time to help our child. 

As I see it, our local public school initially did not meet the requirements required under section 504 under the Civil Rights Act to provide accommodations to my child. Then later in her education, the district was unable to provide a challenging environment for my child.

This story is not unique as A growing number of parents simply give up and leave the district. A large group of parents are so frustrated that they started a new charter school in Park City. In many cases it is not because of some political ideology, it is because the PCSD is not living up to its promise of an excellent education for all children. This loss of engaged parents and high-performing students will begin to further erode the performance of our schools and start a cycle that will cause more parents to lose confidence in the local public school. I've seen this pattern before and even lived though it as both a parent and as a student. Once the cycle starts, it becomes increasingly hard to reverse.

As a longtime proponent of public education, I think it is time for all of us to roll up our sleeves and working to make our public schools better. It is time for administrators to stop pushing parents away and taking a defensive stance. It is time for politicians outside our community to stop playing politics with our children. It is time for people to stop sugar coating the performance of our schools and look hard enough to see that there is a problem.

Let's join together and start the work hard to make our school district is a place where people choose to send their children. We need to make it were no parent feels like they have to send their children away to get the best education for their child. My hope is that enough people will see what I see, and like me, choose to change course.

Are Strategic Plans A Good Thing?

District Level Strategic Plans are an Attempt to Adopt a Business Practice in School Management but are they Effective?

What is interesting is that most studies have found that there is no correlation between the Strategic Plan and the improvement of student performance. Then why even go through the process?

The primary value in developing a strategic plan is how engaged the community becomes in the district. When large groups of constituents are involved in the development of the plan it fosters involvement and provides a direct way for the district to hear the concerns of the community. So the process is actually more important than the plan itself. Even more interesting, is that the process of putting together the plan usually is just the start of engaging the community in the schools.

David Conley, a professor at the University of Oregon, found that "community relations" was the top objective cited on the strategic plans he studied. While it may appear as the last item on the Park City School District plan, to my mind it should be the first. Without a comprehensive two-way dialog, the district has no idea how to respond to the needs of the stakeholders.

Most plans, like the one as PCSD, do a good job articulating the district goals to all stakeholders. Often, many groups play tug-of-war with new programs and initiatives that are implemented in the schools. Lack of direction can lead to a plethora of programs to implement and administer. This can be costly and in most cases overwhelming to the classroom teacher. Getting everyone on the same page is also a huge plus.

While the plan may focus on the future, it is important to evaluate and measure the success of existing programs. Any programs that are not effective or are too costly from the resource perspective should be eliminated. This will give breathing space for the new plans and allow the district to focus on doing a few things well rather than shotgunning problems and hoping something works.

Finally, Strategic Plans are valuable because they identify key indicators. By tracking a broad set for key indicators for each area in the plan, the district can foster an environment of continuous improvement. One of the most important indicators is the perception of quality among parents and teachers. Relying on test results alone will not provide the district the entire picture.

While Strategic Plans may not good for student achievement, it does provide a process for establishing a good dialog, setting shared goals and measuring performance.

The Power of the Computer Department

In many cases, IT departments in our schools go unchecked and unchallenged.

I’ve been working professionally in the IT field since 1980 when I was promoted from shoe salesman to mainframe computer operator at Sears.  Back then, folks in IT had a great amount of power. We had nearly an entire floor, worked on computers that cost millions of dollars, ran special reports for analysts, had access to all sorts of information and got just about anything we asked for. We were providing services for a management team that had no idea what we were doing. We could tell them just about anything and they would believe it. 

Many years later my company installed a complex document management system for the legal department at a Fortune 50 company. Our primary contact was the Legal Counsel for the company who reported directly to the CEO. He was by all accounts a respected leader, committed to the company and extremely effective. Like many C-level managers in the late 1990’s he rarely turned on his computer.  At one point, we actually pulled parts out of his computer when we needed an emergency fix another computer in the office. 

For the most part, things are different now. Corporate decision makers are more computer savvy. As a result, we are seeing better use of IT resources and decisions as to what to implement and where to innovate are made by people who are computer literate. Gone are the days when an IT person could walk into a c-suite and get approval for an initiative that management does not understand. That frustrates some IT folks that used to hold the keys to large budgets and power over a great deal of information. 

One area is lagging behind. In many cases, school board members and senior administrators have limited experience with technology. In some cases, the IT director of the school district is the only senior person at the district that understands technology and how to apply it. Many IT directors are excellent with technology, but may not have the expertise to understand how to apply that technology to best support the goals of the organization. Without anyone in senior administration or on the board with a technical background, many IT decisions go unchecked. 

I have talked to many IT directors that brag about the number of servers, number of support staff and the number of devices managed by the network.  To me, that is a red flag. They should be talking about the last time they effectively applied technology to support the goals of the organization. Sure the network should work, there should be enough staff to support the users and servers are important but from my perspective, large numbers of devices are the wrong thing to focus on. 

Each organization should have one or more senior management and board members are technologists that can work with the technology director. These folks should be familiar with technologies like VOIP, Video Conferencing, Cloud Computing,  SaaS Services, Hand Held Devices, IP Prioritization, VPN and Network Security. Most effective boards have a technology subcommittee that is made up of technologists, educators,  students, and teachers that make recommendations to the board with regard to the application of technology. 

Consider that a child starting first grade in 2010 will be entering the workforce in 2026. We should make sure that the technology implemented in school will prepare them for the environment in which they will be expected to perform.  Unlike in the early days of computing, we cannot afford to limit the decision making power to a few folks in the computer department.

Should Public Education be the Only Choice?

Is There a Place for Independent and Charter Schools in our Education System?

CNN recently spent a great deal of on airtime on the topic “Fixing America’s Broken Schools.” This high profile discussion by a major news organization reflects the level of frustration on the quality of the education system in the United States. The title CNN selected is telling in that they are already assuming the premise that the education system is broken.

And it is not just CNN. There is a great buzz this year about the film WAITING FOR SUPERMAN. In his film, Davis Guggenheim puts forward the idea that good teachers make good schools and highlights innovative approaches taken by education reformers to attract and keep high performing teachers.

To be fair, there are some excellent school districts in the US and some great examples of public school districts that have made huge improvements. In her book “The Essential School Board Book”, Nancy Walser profiles several successful school districts and finds common attributes that all successful districts share.

The desire to improve public education is so great that some politicians have even set aside ideology and have put forth common solutions. Probably the best example is when Al Sharpton and Newt Gingrich launched school tour earlier this year. If these two polarizing figures can come together with common ideas on improving education, anyone can. What I found most telling is that Rev. Sharpton and Speaker Gingrich selected a Philadelphia Charter school to kick off the tour.

The school was by all accounts failing. One report said that the quality of teaching was so low that it seems they did not even care about teaching. In 2006 it was taken over by Mastery Charter Schools and now scores higher on standardized testing than the affluent suburban schools.

In reading all these examples there seem to be a few simple things that exceptional schools have in common.

1. Administration and the board take personal responsibility for the quality of education and focus on continuously improving the education level for each child.
2. High expectations for performance. In every case, raising academic standards and taking no excuses for poor performance raises the quality of education.
3. Parent, Teacher, and Administration work together on a common set of goals that are focused on student achievement.
4. High-quality teachers who care about their students and enjoy their work.

These simple tasks can be difficult to put into place in a large school district like Philadelphia or Detroit where there can be a disconnect between the parents and the administration. Consider the barriers to change. There is a School level Administration, Teacher’s Union, PTA, District Administration, School Board, local politicians and in some cases private foundations all with different agendas trying to put forth different initiatives and programs.

In these cases, it may appear the easy thing is to simply give up on the public system and rely on a small group of stakeholders to fix the failing school. True small groups can more easily focus on the problem, react quickly and effect change. But want about the other schools? Just because the problem is big should we give up on the whole system and fix a school here and a school there?

In 1999 the board of the City of Atlanta Public Schools selected Dr. Beverly Hall as Superintendent. In 1999 the district was in a tailspin. For the most part, parents who wanted a quality education for their children had few choices. Many choose to pay $10,000 - $15,000 per year to send children to independent private schools. That year, over 400 students applied for 40 pre-first spots at a North Atlanta private school.

Dr. Hall made a promise to the city to transform the district from one of the worst to be one of the nation’s highest performing urban school systems. She did it by holding administrators accountable for the performance of their schools, by enacting sound business principals and by engaging patents and the community in the education of the children. Now people in Atlanta have a choice, they do not have to spend over $10,000 per year to an independent school to get a quality education.

The challenge for good public school districts is not to rely on good results in standardized testing and high graduation rates as a reason to keep doing things the same way. Many engaged parents want the best possible education and sometimes good is not great. The public school district should proactively work with all stakeholders to assure greatness at all levels. Not doing so can lead to frustration.

When the level of disconnect becomes so great between the school and the parents, some may decide it is just easier to start a new school rather than make a really good school into a GREAT school. Can you imagine, a group of parents becoming so frustrated and so disconnected where they would not work with an already good school to make it great? It is happening all over America. The danger to the public school is that the parents that care most about education pull out of the district taking with them, in most cases, high performing students. Over time those good test scores can slide and before you know it that good school is not nearly as good.

I can see how in places like Detroit and Philadelphia parents and educators turn to charter schools as a solution to failing schools. I understand that parents may need to rely on an independent school when the only other solution is a failing public neighborhood school. To me it is sad that, in some cases, public school systems put parents in that situation.

Parents, community leaders and public educators need to join together and assure that stakeholders feel connected to our local public school. So when they see room for improvement they will have a clear choice – the choice to harness that energy for improvement toward the good of the community and not just the good of a select few. Until that happens, there will still be a place for private and charter schools.

A Question about Accommodations for Allergies

Christie Worthington asked the following question: 

Do you feel that banning food products in schools for children with allergies is the best approach? Maybe education about food allergies and training students and faculty how to react when the first sign of a problem appears and taking reasonable precautions to prevent a reaction?

(not one PC pediatrician is for banning any food products)

It doesn't have to be a long answer. =)

Again, way to step up!!!

Ari's Answer:

I see a great deal of discussion on this topic not only here in Park City but nationally. My best friend growing up had a life-threatening allergy to fish products. If he walked into a room where they were cooking fish, he would swell up. Eating food with fish could be fatal unless he had immediate attention. So I can understand how parents of children with severe allergies would advocate for an environment where a particular food product would not be present. When faced with this issue, many boards feel the need to provide guidance at the district level. In many cases, this is driven by our litigious society and the influence of insurance providers with regard to managing risk. In this respect, it is understandable why some districts adopt policies that seem overreaching. In a perfect world, children with severe allergies would be identified and the school level administrator would be able to make the necessary accommodations for the child in question. Once the child is no longer in the school, the accommodations would be lifted.

Why Engaged Parents are a Critical Key to Success

Educators continuously point to parent involvement as one of the key indicators leading to student achievement, but many educators seem to struggle with how to foster parental involvement.

Students perform better when parents are engaged with the education of their children. Parents can have a positive impact on the outcome of the education of a child by communicating to children that education is a priority and by actively supporting the student’s learning process.

Web-based student information systems go a long way toward allowing parents to track the progress of the student. Properly implemented, these systems allow students and parents to instantly access test results and assure that assignments are completed on a timely basis. While technology can leverage communication, it cannot replace the human element.

Educators at every level need to be accessible and communicate proactively with parents to jointly educate students. Parents who abdicate the responsibility of educating their child to the school are not properly providing the foundation for the student to succeed. Schools who do not fully engage the parent in the education process are not leveraging one of the most effective resources available to them. An active partnership between the school and the parent will enhance the shared goal of a student learning to his or her full potential.

Because parental involvement is such a key factor in the achievement of the student, schools need to foster a culture of parental involvement. Any organization that wants to change its culture knows that the change must come from the top. In the case of school districts, this means the senior administration and the school board must lead the way. The first step is by example.

Parents should have access to all activities of the board. This includes proactively placing all governance documents that can be legally shared online in a searchable format. Meeting agendas, supporting documents, strategic goals, policies, and procedures should be shared with the public. In the case of meeting materials, well in advance of the meetings so they can be reviewed. Then, if the parent decides they should come to the meeting they will arrive more informed and better-connected to the activities of the board. After the meeting, each agenda item that results in action should indicate the motion and the results of the vote. Attaching an audio recording of the discussion to each agenda item will better allow stakeholders to understand the rationale.

Policies and procedures should be shared with the public. As soon as the board adopts a policy or approves an administrative procedure it should be posted on the Web site. The resulting centralized, searchable on-line policy and procedure manual should accessible to all stakeholders via the districts Web site. The policies should include and support the board's desire for all staff members to treat parents as partners in education.

At the school level, principals should maintain a school-wide communication system that provides information to the parents in the way they wish to receive it. This should include a consistently updated Web site, proactive emails and written communications to the home. Automated phone and paging alert solutions should be used to communicate important events and not only used for emergencies. Accessibility should also be a priority so that parents with concerns are treated with respect and issues are quickly addressed. Too often, Web sites look good, but the information is not kept current and schools choose one method of communication rather than relying on many forms to assure the message gets through.

The most important place to engage parents is at the classroom level. This should take place in advance of the first day of school and continue throughout the year. Teachers should have the ability to share developmental and academic expectations with parents so that everyone understands the goals far in advance of the term. Parents should be allowed to communicate the specific learning needs for their student to the classroom teacher. Fostering an early parent-teacher dialog can firmly establish the educator as a respected professional to the parent. This respect can be reinforced in the home - from the parent to the student. This foundation of professional respect and early communication will serve the parent-teacher partnership well, should the need to address specific concerns occur during the term.

Teachers should utilize technology to engage and inform the parent throughout the year. This includes building and maintaining a classroom Web site that supports classroom activities. The site should include a summary of projects, deadlines, classroom activities and study aids that so the parent and student can be fully prepared for what is to come. Teachers should also promptly update the district’s student information system so that parents and students have immediate home access to the classroom performance of the student.

Ongoing communication is also important to maintain the parent-teacher partnership. Teachers can set the expectation that email is the preferred communication tool. Email can provide the ability for a teacher to reach out to a parent or for a parent to ask the teacher a quick question at any time without fear of interruption or the need to make an appointment.

Top to bottom, open communications can be the basis for forming a partnership between the school and the parent that will ultimately enhance the school experience for the student. Starting at the top will show the district staff and parents that the board is serious about partnering with parents. Ultimately, it may be the least costly initiative that a district can implement that will directly affect the performance of the children.

Open Governance

With Ample Tools Available For Sharing Information, Why Is The Government So Far Behind In Opening Governance?

Governance directly affects us all, and while media focuses on the federal government most decisions take place at the local level. Cities, counties and school boards significantly impact our daily lives – after all, it’s their responsibility to represent the public. Unfortunately, access to the activities of many governing bodies is hit and miss, at best.

For example, a few months ago there was talk in my small town of a new airstrip. I work with local governing bodies every day and thought getting up-to-speed on the topic would be relatively easy. I started by looking on my county’s Web site where I found a list of meetings for the county commission and the zoning board. The minutes for preceding meetings had been posted by date, and I even found a couple of the agendas there, too. However, I couldn’t find any information about the airstrip, nor did the Web site provide a way for me to search for the information I needed.

I did, however, locate the county’s phone number and called the county clerk to request the documentation. She searched through some files and, after a couple of days, eMailed the information to me. She also let me know that they had audio tapes of the meetings, and if I wanted to stop by their office, I could listen to the discussion about the airstrip.

I’ve worked with hundreds of local governments, so I know most clerks have to gather all documents for each meeting, print and copy these documents and bind them to create meeting packets for their commissioners and stakeholders. Additionally, these “paper packets” must be physically distributed prior to every meeting. Clerks take notes at these meeting and listen to the audio tape the next day to compile minutes. Next, someone from the IT department updates the Web site with the information, hopefully in a timely manner.

Most commissioners will proudly tell you that their governing body shares meeting information with the public via the county’s Web site. Really? Though this may be true in part, I would bet that many citizens would describe their experience with “open” governance unsatisfactory or even downright frustrating. In my case, after I scoured the Web, I had to make a phone call to the clerk, who had to take time out of her day to find the documents that I needed, organize them and then email them to me. To complete my information search, I would have to physically go to the county office to listen to audio tapes.

Looking back, getting to the bottom of the issue could have been much less complicated by utilizing simple technology and communication. The reality is that most local governing bodies do a poor job sharing information in a way that the public can easily access it. In other words, transparency in governance isn’t as transparent as they think.

With a Web-based content management system, clerks can quickly upload meeting documents to the Internet, where commissioners are able to securely log in to review the agenda. The county can share the information with the public in a convenient, proactive manner prior to each meeting via the county’s Web site – all without the need for support from the IT department. Clerks can notate the action taken on each agenda item, in real time, and even record the discussion using a simple MP3 audio recorder.

Open governance supported by readily available technology is a win-win for all parties involved. Had my county implemented such a system, I would have been able to go to their Web site to quickly and easily search for background information relating to the airstrip. No call would have been necessary.

But technology sounds expensive and even time consuming, right? Surprise! It’s actually more cost effective than producing and distributing paper packets and responding to records requests. In fact, the right technology can save organizations up to tens of thousands of dollars annually. And most local governing bodies that use this type of system see a 75% reduction in staff time!

In the end, a group of community members attended the zoning meeting, and, as a result, the developer and commissioners decided an airstrip in our little town was not a good idea. I hope one day my commissioners come to the realization that using technology to open governance is a good idea - one whose time has come.

Happy Landings.